Apparatus for electrical and fluid connection



J. HAINZELIN APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL AND FLUID CONNECTION Filed Feb. 25, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIGI J. HAINZELIN 3,272,928

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL AND FLUID CQNNECTION Sept. 13, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 FIG.2

J. HAINZELIN 3,272,928 APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL AND FLUID CONNECTION Sept. 13, 1966 '7 Sheets-fih'eet 5 Filed Feb. 25, 1963 J. HAINZELIN 3,272,928 APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL AND FLUID CONNECTION Sept. 13, 1966 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 35, 1963 FIGA FIG. 5

J. HAlNZELlN 3,272,928

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL AND FLUID CONNECTION Sept. 13, 1966 7 Sheets-$heet 5 Filed Feb. 35, 1963 Ill Sept. 13, 1966 J. HAINZELIN 3, 8

APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL AND FLUID CONNECTION Filed Feb. 25, 1963 7 Sheets-$heet 6 FIG.7

J. HAINZELIN Sept. 13, 1966 APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL AND FLUID CONNECTION Filed Feb. 25, 1963 7 Sheets-Sheet '7 FIGS FIG. 9

FIG/IO United States Patent f 3 Claims. icr. 191-1 The present invention relates to an electric and pneumatic coupling trolley which is especially intended for the supply of moving machines.

The purpose of the invention is to produce a trolley which permits of rapid and simple coupling and above all which makes it possible to effect a movable coupling with the machine, the said trolley being additionally capable of remote control, which is a very appreciable feature especially when it is required to supply the handling machines of nuclear reactors.

The present invention has for its object an electric and pneumatic coupling trolley which is more especially intended for the supply of moving machines, comprising a laterally movable frame, a supporting arm designed to carry a coupling connector, a device for the articulation of said coupling connector on its mounting, means for controlling both the sliding motion of said supportingarm on the frame and the movement of said coupling connector at right angles to said frame, a connectingarm for setting the angle of slope of said supporting-arm which is pivotally mounted between said arm and the frame and, mounted on said supporting-arm, a device for controlling the position of the connecting-arm and the distance between the coupling connector and the frame and a device for the synchronization of the movements of said connector with its mounting during all displacement operations.

Various other characteristic features and advantages of the invention will in any case be brought out by the following detailed description of a preferred form of embodiment which is given by way of example and not in any sense by way of limitation with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the coupling trolley in accordance with the invention.

FIG. 2 shows diagrammatically the same trolley in operation in a nuclear reactor.

FIG. 3 represents on a larger scale the two ends of the movable frame, one of the channel-irons constituting said frame having been removed.

FIG. 4 shows the articulation of the coupling connector on the supporting-arm.

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along the line AA of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a view, partly in section, partly on the exterior, of the device for controlling the opening of the arm.

FIG. 7 represents in cross-section on a larger scale the differential gearing system of said control device.

FIG. 8 represents the connector-mounting compensator, this view being taken in cross-section along the line BB of FIG. 10.

FIG. 9 represents the connector-mounting compensator, this view taken in cross-section along the line C-C of FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 is a cross-section taken along the line DD of FIG. 9.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the electric and pneumatic coupling trolley in accordance with the invention comprises a movable frame 1 constituted by two channelirons 2 and 3 which are joined together by a distance- 3,272,928 Patented Sept. 13, 1966 "ice plate 4, and an arm 5, one end of which carries a coupling connector 6 whilst the other end slides in the frame 1 in such a manner as to move the said connector 6 either away from or nearer to the frame 1 according to the movement carried out by the machine to be supplied. A connecting-arm 8 is articulated at one end thereof on the frame 1 and at the other end thereof on the arm 5 in such a manner as to regulate the opening of this latter.

At the time of operation of said trolley with a view to carrying out the supply of handling machines of a nuclear reactor (FIG. 2), the frame 1 is mounted against the wall of the building in which the reactor is located and moves in parallel relation to said wall while the machine 12 to be supplied travels along the rails 14 for the purpose of assignment to the corresponding wells; the connector 6 is then coupled to the self-driven trolley 16 which carries said machine 12. When said machine 12 is intended to be assigned to another line of wells, the machine is placed on a traverse-carriage and thereby conveyed in a movement at right angles to the wall 10 towards other rails 14'. During this movement, the connector 6 must remain coupled to the traverse-carriage; the angle of inclination of the arm 5 must accordingly be modified in order to follow said carriage. For example, in order to permit the machine 12 to pass from the position shown in full lines in FIG. 2 to that which is shown in chain-dotted lines in the same figure, the connecting-arm 8 of the trolley =must fold back in such manner as to thrust the extremity of the arm 5 towards the top of the frame 1 and to draw the connector 6 nearer to the frame up to position 6.

The frame 1 is preferably mounted along the wall 10 between two brackets formed in said wall and fitted with rails 18 which serve as guides for rollers 20 having vertical axes (FIG. 3). On each side of the base of the frame 1 are mounted wheels 22 which roll in a horizontal rail 23 which is fixed between the rails 18.

The lateral movement of the trolley is produced by means of a motor reduction unit 24 which is supplied at 26 by means of a cable chain or like means. The said motor reduction unit produces through the intermediary of two pinions 28 and 29 the rotation of a shaft 30 which extends from one end to the other of the frame 1 and drives at each end thereof a pinion 32 which is in mesh with a rack 34 fixed along the exterior surfaces of one of the rails 18.

The arm 5 is also constitued by two channel-irons 31 which are joined together by a distance-plate 33; the said arm is provided at each end, however with a hinge-pin 36, 38. The hinge-pin 36 which is fixed at the the top portion is fitted on each side of the arm 5 with devices for guiding the sliding motion of said arm which each comprise a pair of rollers 39 having their axes parallel to the hinge-pin 36 and adapted to slide in rails 40 carried by the lateral wall of the frame 1, and a third roller 42 mounted at right angles to the rollers 39, said roller 42 being adapted to roll in another rail which is mounted between the rail-s 40.

The hinge-pin 38 which is fixed at the other end of the arm 5 is coupled on each side of this latter to two toothed sectors 44 which are fixed on the mounting 46 of the coupling connector 6 by means of shafts 43 which are secured to the sectors 44 and which are adapted to rotate freely inside the shaft 38. Each of the said sectors 44 is in mesh with a bevel pinion 48 which is integral with a shaft 50, said shaft being mounted in bearings 52 carried by the arm 5 in axially parallel relation to this latter. Each shaft 50 terminates in a second bevel pinion 54 which is in mesh with a second toothed sector 56, said toothed sector being integral with the fulcrum pin 58 of the arm 5 and of the connecting-arm 8 with the result '2 =3 that any modification of the angle of these two members and consequently of the opening of the arms results in a modification of the position of the mounting 46 of the connector. The said connector can thus be always maintained in a horizontal position.

In order to permit the adjustment of this opening of the arm 5, the connecting-arm 8 is pivotally coupled at one end thereof at 60 to the frame 1 whilst the other end thereof forms two branches 62, 63 on each side of the arm 5, each branch being provided with a swingably mounted nut 64 in which is screwed a threaded rod 66, the rotation of which is produced by a motor reduction unit 68 which is mounted on the arm 5.

The said motor reduction unit 68 drives by means of a differential 70 and a countershaft angle-pinion 72 (as shown in FIG. 6) a shaft 74 mounted in a bearing 76 which is rigidly fixed to the distance-plate 32 of the arm 5. The said shaft 74 transmits its rotational movement by means of a clutch-type coupling 77 to a second shaft 78 which, by means of a countershaft angle-pinion 80, produces the rotation of the threaded rod 66. Depending on the direction of rotation, the nut 64 either moves away from or nearer to the head of the rod 66 and the connecting-arm 8 either increases or reduces the angle of opening of the arm 5.

The support 46 for the coupling connector 6 includes compensating apparatus as seen in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. This compensating apparatus is mounted within the support or box 46 beneath the toothed sectors 44 and includes at least three micro-switches 82, 83 and 84 resiliently supported by a base 85 which is carried at its two extremites by the upper plate 90 of box 46. Base plate 91 is secured to support 85 and is a part of the coupling connector so that all relative displacement of sectors 44 and of the coupling connector causes an inclination of upper plate 90 which bears on one or the other of microswitches 82 or 84 and places them under pressure.

Two half shafts 88 are disposed in the middle of this apparatus and are parallel to shafts 86 and are carried by and on each side of central bearing 92 which is affixed to base 91 of the coupling connector. The shafts are suspended from top plate 90 in the same manner as shafts 86. Oppositively turned springs 94 and 95 are mounted around half shafts 88 and bear against the central bearing 92 and against support plates 96. Central bearing 92 has an interior diameter in which either of shafts 88 can slide due to relative oscillations between the coupling connector and its support but springs 94 and 95 dampen this movement and return the structure to its central position. Small oscillations are thus compensated immediately and the micro-switches are not actuated unless the inclinations should become large.

The micro-contact breakers 82, 84 are coupled to a motor reduction unit 98 from which the differential 70 is driven for the purpose of controlling the opening of the arm. The said motor reduction unit 98 (as shown in FIG. 7) causes the rotation of a pinion 100 meshed with a ring-gear 101 which is integral with a sleeve 102, while the said sleeve surrounds a shaft 69 which is coupled to the motor reduction unit 68 and also surrounds a shaft 71 which is coupled to the countershaft angle-pinion 72, the said two shafts being each fitted with a sungear 104, 106, said sun-gears being in mesh with a differential planetary pinion 108, the shaft 109 of which rotates freely inside the sleeve 102.

When the motor reduction unit 68 effects the opening of the arm 5, the shaft 69 drives through the pinions 104, 108 and 106 the shaft 71 which transmits the movement of rotation by means of the countershaft angle-pinion 72 to the shaft 74 then to the shaft 78, to the countershaft angle-pinion 80 and to the rod 64. As soon as this movement of the arm has produced a relative displacement between the connector 6 and its mounting, for example as soon as there exists a difference in speed between the traverse-carriage of the machine 12 and the opening or the closing of the arm 5, one of the micro-contact breakers 82 or 84 starts up the motor reduction unit 98. This latter drives in rotation the pinions and 101 and the sleeve 102, thereby producing the movement of the shaft 109 of the differential planetary pinion 108 which either accelerates or slackens, depending on its own speed, the speed of rotation of the sun-gear 106 with which said planetary pinion is engaged and consequently that of the shaft 71 in such manner as to synchronize the movement of the connector and mounting, that is to say, the travel of the traverse-carriage and the opening or closing motion of the arm.

A second speed of opening of the arm is obtained by means of an auxiliary motor 110 coupled to the motor reduction unit 68 by means of a clutch unit 111 which is preferably an electric clutch-coupling but which could be of any other type; the second speed referred-to above can serve, for example, for the purpose of inserting the connector in the self-driven trolley.

Similarly, a second speed of displacement of the trolley can be obtained by coupling to the motor reduction unit 24 a second motor which is connected thereto by means of an electric clutch system. A second clutch unit is mounted between the motor reduction unit 21 and the two gears 28 and 29 so as to permit the trolley to be driven from the exterior without making use of its motor. It is thus possible, for example, to cause the trolley to be driven by the charge machine which moves along the rails 14.

There is thus obtained a trolley which permits the supply of moving machines during the course of all the movements effected by these latter, which can readily be operated from a distance and which provides a very dependable coupling by virtue of the synchronization of movements of the machine with those of the trolley. The positioning of the coupling connector on the machine is carried out in a very simple and reliable manner by virtue of the fact that it is possible to operate the device at a very low speed.

Various modifications can also be made in the form of embodiment which has just been described by way of example without thereby departing either from the scope or the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for articulation of a supporting arm and a connecting arm to maintain a connector in position, irrespective of the angle of inclination of the supporting arm, on a moving machine comprising a laterally moving frame, a supporting arm, a coupling connector, one end of said supporting arm being slidably mounted on said frame and the other end of said supporting arm supporting said coupling connector, a connecting arm pivotally mounted between said supporting arm and said frame for setting the angle of inclination of said supporting arm with respect to said frame, means for articulation of said connecting arm mounted on said supporting arm, means for controlling the pivoting of said connecting arm and the translation of said coupling connector perpendicularly to said frame, means for synchronizing the angular movement of said coupling connector with the movement of said supporting arm and for maintaining said coupling connector in a predetermined position irrespective of the angle of inclination of said supporting arm, said means for articulation of said connecting arm including a motor mounted on said supporting arm, spaced threaded rods rotated by said motor, nuts on said connecting arm receiving said rods one of said rods and the associated one of said nuts being disposed on each side of said supporting arm and a micro-contact breaker connected to said motor controlling the rotation of said rods in synchronism with the movement of said coupling connector.

2. Apparatus for articulation of a supporting arm and a connecting arm to maintain a connector in position, irrespective of the angle of inclination of the supporting arm, on a moving machine comprising a laterally movable frame, a supporting arm, a coupling connector, one end of said supporting arm being slidably mounted on said frame and the other end of said supporting arm supporting said coupling connector, a connecting arm pivotally mounted between said supporting arm and said frame for setting the angle of inclination of said supporting arm with respect to said frame, means for articulation of said connecting arm mounted on said supporting arm, means for controlling the lpivoting of said connecting arm and the translation of said coupling connector perpendicularly to said frame, means for synchronizing the angular movement of said coupling connector with the movement of said supporting arm and for maintaining said coupling connector in a predetermined position irrespective of the angle of inclination of said supporting arm, guide rails for said frame, racks on said rails, motor means on said frame, pinions engaging said racks rotated 5 frame and said coupling connector forming a part of a handling machine for the nuclear reactor.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,766,007 10/1956 Krilanovich 248281 X FOREIGN PATENTS 5 22,041 6/ 1940 Great Britain.

15 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner.

LEO QUACKENBUSCH, Examiner.

M. J. HILL, S. T. KRAWCZEWICZ,

Assistant Examiners. 

1. APPARATUS FOR ARTICULATION OF A SUPPORTING ARM AND A CONNECTING ARM TO MAINTAIN A CONNECTOR IN POSITION, IRRESPECTIVE OF THE ANGLE OF INCLINATION OF THE SUPPORTING ARM, ON A MOVING MACHINE COMPRISING A LATERALLY MOVING FRAME, A SUPPORTING ARM, A COUPLING CONNECTOR, ONE END OF SAID SUPPORTING ARM BEING SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND THE OTHER END OF SAID SUPPORTING ARM SUPPORTING SAID COUPLING CONNECTOR A CONNECTING ARM PIVOTALLY MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTING ARM AND SAID FRAME FOR SETTING THE ANGLE OF INCLINATION OF SAID SUPPORTING ARM WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAM, MEANS FOR ARTICULATION OF SAID CONNECTING ARM MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING ARM, MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THE PIVOTING OF SAID CONNECTING ARM AND THE TRANSLATION OF SAID COUPLING CONNECTOR PERPENDICULARLY TO SAID FRAME, MEANS FOR SYNCHRONIZING THE ANGULAR MOVEMENT OF SAID COUPLING CONNECTOR WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID SUPPORTING ARM AND FOR MAINTIANING SAID COUPLING CONNECTOR IN A PREDETERMINED POSITION IRRESPECTIVE OF THE ANGLE OF INCLINATION OF SAID SUPPORTING ARM SAID MEANS FOR ARTICULATION OF SAID CONNECTING ARM INCLUDING A MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORTING ARM, SPACED THREADED RODS ROTATED BY SAID MOTOR, NUTS ON SAID CONNECTING ARM, RECEIVING SAID RODS ONE OF SAID RODS AND THE ASSOCIATED ONE OF SAID NUTS BEING DISPOSED ON EACH SIDE OF SAID SUPPORTING ARM AND A MICRO-CONTACT BREAKER CONNECTED TO SAID MOTOR CONTROLLING THE ROTATION OF SAID RODS IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE MOVEMENT OF SAID COUPLING CONNECTOR. 